moeeis



(No Model.)

J. H. 8v T. D. MORRIS.

. LATCH.

No. 386,554. Patented July 24, 1888.

UNITED STATES JOHN H. MORRIS AND THOMAS D.

PATENT OFFICE.

MORRIS, OF SEWARD, NEBRASKA.

LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386.554, dated July 24, 1888.

(No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN H. MORRIS and THoMAs D. MORRIS, citizens of the United States, residing at Seward, in the county of Seward and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches, of which the following is a full and clear description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figurel represents a perspective view looking toward the back of the lock of the devices embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a detail of the springactuated latching-lever and its housing.

Our invention relates especially to that class of latches which are adapted for engagement with the doors of post-office boxes; andit consists, essentially, in a spring-actuated lever having a hooked front-end adapted to engage a sliding bolt, said lever being provided with a rear extension or handle, whereby it may be operated from the inside to effect the releasing ofthe door of the box when necessary.

To enable Others skilled in the art to which our invention appertaius to make and use the same we will now describeits construction and indicate the manner in which the same is ear ried out.

In the said drawings, A represents a sheetmetal door, such as is suitable for post-office boxes.

B indicates a spring actuated sliding bolt, and C C represent notched and slotted disks, with which suitable lugs on the sliding bolt are designed to engage, whereby said bolt may be retracted when the slots are brought into alignment therewith, as more fully described in a former patent granted to us August 16, 1887, No. 368,543.

The present improvement has reference merely to the application to a lock-such as is shown and described in our said former patent-of aspring-actnated leverhaving one end adapted to latch with a centrally-disposed lug, c, on the sliding bolt B, while the rear end of said lever is projected or extended rearwardly so that it may be operated by the postmaster, or occupant of the mail-room, to release the door in the event of the owner of the box or his recognized agent not recollecting the combination of the lock existing at that time. In order that this most important feature may be successfully accomplished, we secure upon the door-casing or in the box adjacent to the lock a plate or housing, D, from the inner surface of which projects a pin or bolt, I), around which a spring is passed, so that one of its free ends may bear against a shoulder or projection, e, on the housing while its opposite end bears against the top or u pper portion of a lever, E, pivoted upon a pin, f, within the housing.

The front end of the housing or plate D is cut away at g to receive the center lug, a, on the sliding bolt, and the lever Erhas a hookshaped front end contiguous to said opening, whereby said lug may be engaged to secure the door in a locked condition.

The lever E is projected rearwardly to form a handle or extension, Z, so that in the event of the Owner of the box calling for his mail, and finding that he has temporarily forgotten the formula which then exists, he will request the postmaster or mail-clerk to open the door of the box, which may readily be done by the official depressing the rear extension or handle. The depression of the rear end raises the hook-shaped front end from its engagement with sliding bolt and permits the owner of the box to open the door and extract his mail.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with a door and a lock mechanism comprising a sliding bolt having a centrally-disposed lug, c, of a housing or plate contiguous to said bolt, a pivoted latching-lever within said housing, and a spring acting upon the lever, said lever being provided with a hook-shaped front end adapted to engage the centrally disposed lng, and a rear extension or handle adapted to be operated from the rear to effect the releasing of the door, substantially as described.

JOHN H. MORRIS. THOMAS D. MORRIS.

Vtnesses:

R. P. ANDERSON, GEO. H. 'IERWILLIGER 

